Sulaiman Altamar BA (Hons) Interior Design 2020

Manchester is known for a lot of things: its two world-class football teams, its leading universities, vibrant art and cultural scene and so much more besides. Perhaps most defining of all though is Manchester’s historical significance as the birthplace of the industrial revolution “Cottonopolis”. One of the big industries in the city during this period was the textile industry with fabrics and clothing made in Manchester being exported all around the world. Fashion designers and artists are attracted to Manchester for its position as a digital and creative hub, but the city is seeing somewhat of a revival as a fashion industry capital.

Being Inspired by the rich history of Manchester’s fashion and textile industry helped shaping the initial concept of this project. An essential part of the research was interviewing the post-graduate fashion students to get a better understanding of the main needs for young fashion designers. From this interview it was clear that a collaborative fashion design space is one of the most important elements that a fashion designer needs as they need a dedicated space to produce and collaborate.

STITCH  is located in the heart of Ancoats with close proximity to the Northern Quarter which is known for its creativity and fashion trends that is expanding into the Ancoats area meaning it is a prime location for the upcoming fashion designers. The space is designed as a creative hub that supports young fashion designers to showcase their creativity and talent as well as offers a collaborative environment that helps them to gain more knowledge that aims to nurture and develop their careers where they can become more educated in the world of fashion throughout various educational workshops, collaborative environment, fashion shows and POP-UP events.